The statement went on to say that Brady was a wonderful person and that those who were close to him are extremely proud of what he accomplished in life.

On March 30, 1981, Brady was shot in the head during an assassination attempt against President Ronald Regan. He was one of four people hurt when John Hinckley Jr. opened fire outside a Washington hotel.

As a result of the shooting, Brady was left with slurred speech, partial paralysis and confined to a wheelchair.

He then became a leading advocate for gun control and as NBC News noted, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act into law in 1993. The federal law requires background checks for handgun buyers.

The White House press briefing room is also named in honor of the former Press Secretary.